Eat Fennel Then Chocolate This Valentine's Day

After tasting this fennel and sun-dried tomato risotto, though, I have changed my mind. Here are three reasons why you should eat fennel again this Valentine's Day:

1. Licorice-flavored fennel is believed to have aphrodisiac qualities (and it's a lot prettier than oysters).

2. The risotto is made with white wine, which if your valentine has enough of, might make it easier for you to steal a few kisses before dessert.

3. Risotto is notorious for being difficult to make. It isn't. It takes about 20-25 minutes and doesn't have to be stirred continuously. However, you could tell your valentine that you slaved in the kitchen making risotto from scratch. That should get you a little lovin'.

I'm sending this recipe to my dear friend, Chris of Melecotte, for her Kitchen of Love Event featuring food with aphrodisiac qualities. Don't miss that round-up on Feb. 12th!

Once you've eaten the the risotto, dim the lights, put on some Lou Rawls (yeah, baby), and open a box of chocolates. Not just any chocolates, gourmet chocolates from Chocolate.com.

Liquer infused chocolate truffles from J. Emanuel Chocolatier.

Since we're talking about Valentine's Day, why not splurge on luxurious chocolate truffles? Chocolate truffles are confections made with a chocolate ganache center that is blanketed in a hard chocolate shell. The ganache center, a silky blend of cream and chocolate, can be flavored with liquer, fruit, nuts, and other sweet fillings such as nougat and toffee.

The liquer infused truffles I sampled (courtesy of Mark from Chocolate.com) came in well-loved flavors such as kalhua and ameretto, and more unusual ones like port. Come to think of it, these truffles would go nicely with a glass of port since they're rich and creamy and not overly sweet.

Though traditionally spherical, these truffles are square shaped and beautifully decorated with gold swirls, coffee beans, and white chocolate drizzle. And with a seemingly endless variety of fillings, there's a truffle that will make every person's heart feel full.

After some fennel, wine, and truffles, your sweetheart will surely be feeling amorous. If not, just pop in your favorite DVD and finish off the rest of the truffles. That would put anybody in a good mood.

Fennel and Sun-Dried Tomato RisottoMakes 2 main or 4 side servings.Print recipe only here.

Place pinenuts in a small, dry skillet over medium heat. Shake pan in a back-and-forth motion until pinenuts are golden and aromatic, about 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat broth in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once it's hot, lower to a simmer.

For the risotto, start by sautéing half the shallots in 1 teaspoon olive oil and butter. Add the Arborio rice; toast for about 1 minute. Cook the risotto at a slow simmer, adding heated broth ½ cupful at a time. Most cookbooks will tell to stir continuously; I don’t, and you don't have to either. You can stir occasionally; just make sure the risotto absorbs the liquid before adding more. It will become tender and creamy as it cooks. Season will some salt about halfway through so it blends well, and add the white wine. 4-5 cups of broth works for this recipe, but use more or less as needed. It takes about 20 minutes for the risotto to become completely cooked. Taste it -- it should be wonderfully creamy and thick. It’s best al dente, which means it should still retain some firmness when you chew it.

After about 10 minutes of cooking the risotto, place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the dry fennel seeds and toast for about 1 minute or until aromatic. Then add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, the other half of the shallots, fennel, sun-dried tomatoes, and some salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the fennel becomes slightly softened but not mushy, about 7-8 minutes. At this point, the risotto should be cooked, so add the sautéed fennel to it and stir well. Add the cream or half n’ half; stir until mixed in well and heated, about 1 minute. Turn off heat, then add the Parmesan cheese so it will melt more slowly. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Adding 1 tablespoon of butter at this point adds a touch more creaminess, but it's optional.

Plate your risotto, topping it with the toasted pine nuts and some grated Parmesan. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on top for an extra Mmmmmm and serve immediately.

Okay I'm going to ask a question that might just display my ignorance but as much as I like food and all that I have a hard time distinguishing between close flavors. Brie and Camembert taste the same to me for example--so what's the difference between anise and fennel? Is it like coriander and cilantro (same thing, different form)? or am I a goober for not tasting the difference? To me they both taste like licorice.

michelle-Nope, you're not a goober. Fennel is the bulb to which I'm referring and anise is used for its seeds. It's just that even supermarkets mislabel them, so the terms have become (incorrectly) interchangeable. As for the taste, both have a licorice flavor. I would say anise seed is a bit milder than fennel seed though.

hey susan! i'm actually not sure if i have ever had fennel before (it was probably in a dish and i didn't know it) but i know i have never cooked with it before. but i love risotto and i love sun dried tomatoes, so i'm sure this dish is wonderful.

the chocolate cake is SO good, but despite the name it's very rich and heavy - i could only eat a small slice :) it would be good for a special occasion, like valentine's day

oh, and when i entered your christmas cookie contest i gave you my first name... when i started my blog it was b/c i was inspired by all the food blogs i saw the nest's what's cooking board... so i made my blogger name the same as my nest name, 'MrsPresley' :) not sure if i should just change it to my first name?

I'm glad you kept the fennel, because you'd have to rip that stuff out of my cold, dead hands!

In fact, I even think there's a case to be made for chocolate-covered fennel. Think about it: fennel = anise. Chocolate/anise is a traditional combo. Or, fennel and orange make a great pair. Chocolate/orange is a traditional combo... shouldn't it follow logically that chocolate/fennel would be good...?

awwwwww... fennel is aphrosidiac, too? i was just thinking about cooking arthicoke for Chris' event, but if fennel is aphrosidiac, then I can just pull them out of the garden! thanks for this info! the risotto looks yummy!

SO glad to see someone ese who thinks a luxurious leisurely dinner at home on Valentine's Day is better that an elbow-to-elbow dining experience in a restaurant. We set up a round table in front of our fireplace,light some candles and really enjoy our dinner (and no tip needed afterwards!)